The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-01
CLEVELAND AND PENSIONS.
What the Democratic Administration
Has Done for the Veterans.

hnaC the DemOcrat1c Administration
Has Done for the Veterans.
Now that certain blatherskites of
the Tuttle-Fairchild stripe are seeking
TO transform the Grand Army of the
Republic into Republican partisan
machine, by aSsailing President Cleve-
lands record for the purpose of show
ing that he is an enemy of the veteran
soldier, it becomes a patriotic duty to
present the fact to the public SO that
every veteran soldier may appreciate
the ineffable scoundrelism of those
who would obscure the truth for the
sake of partisan ends. An official docu-
ment has been issued which will en-
able all who want to know the truth
to comprehend at glance what Mr..
Cleveland's Administration has done
for the Union soldier in regard to
pensions and positions.
1t is stated that ''aninvestigator with
a keen regard for figures has gone over
the statutes of the United States PEN
sion Bureau, and by actual count has
made up these statistics regarding the
Pension Office business, which shed
clear light On that part of President
Cleveland's Administration" These
figures, as to private pension acts, are
of 4 character to silence all adverse
criticism. They force the conclusion
that Mr.. Cleveland has stood ready to
sign every meritorious claim for pen
No
template the record for a moment with
out realizing that in President Cleve-
land the brave. meritorious soldier has
n conscientious, inflexible friend. The
records relating to private pension acts
and the employment of soldiers, are as
follows:
General Grant, from 1870 to 1877 inclusive, a
period Of eight years, approved 4S5 private
pension acts; Hayes, from 1877 to 1881. inclu-
sive. period of four years, approved 303 pri-
yate pension acts; Presidents Garfield and Ar
thur. from 1882 to 1885, inclusive. period of
four years, approved 756 pension acts; while
President Cleveland, from 1886 to 1887, inclu-
sive, period of only two years, has approved
S63 private pension acts.
This is a more than Presidents Grant and
Hayes approved in twelve years, and 127 more
in four years.
President Cleveland has, also, to begin with,
appointed more ex-Union soldiers to Office
than any other President. He approved the
act of March 10, 1886. which increased to Sl2
per month the pension of 49, 9S9 widows, minors
and dependent relatives of Union soldiers Of
the late war. He approved the act of August
4, 1886, which increased the pension OF 10000
crippled and MANNED Union soldiers OF the late
war He approved the act of January 20, 1887,
which placed upon the pension rolls over
%, 900 survivors and widows of the war with
Mexico.
We challenge the entire Republican
party to show the foregoing figures to
be incorrect. There they stand
figures for the people-fgures for the
veteran sOldiers-figures for the pres
ent and for all time.
But this is not all. The work of the
Pension Bureau during the past two
years. should be studied by the people,
and by the Union soldier. Here they
are:
From July I, 1885, to June 3O 1897, inclusive,
26s, 500 pension certificates of all classes were
issued by the Bureau of Pensions
From July l, 1888, to June 80, 1885, 129,517
pension certificates Of all classes were issued
an Increase of 1885, $50 certificates in favor of
the first two years under Democratic over the
preceding two years under Republican rule.
From July /, 1885 to June 30, 1887, there
was dsbursed on account of pensions, s139,
5S4, ,27045
Prom July /, 1888, to June 30, 1885, there was
disbursed on account of pensions s1s2 967, 243 46,
showing increase of S16,617 50 for the first
two years under Democratic Administration
over the last two years under Republican Ad-
ministratiOn.
On July l. 1888, there were 3O3,65S pensioners
on the rolls. On July 1, 1885, there were upon
the rolls 3I5, S25 pensioners, being net increase
toNthe rolls during the last two years under Re-
publican rule of A., ,467.
On the first day OF July, 1897, there were upon
the rolls 402, 900 pensonerS-unOfficial, but
low estlmate-or net gam of the rolls during
the first two years under Democratic rule of
56,s75, or net gain of s. 4OS to the rolls during
the first two years of President Cleveland's
Administration over the last two years of Pres
ident Arthur's Administration.
During the fiscal year ending June 90, 1887,
11236O certificates OF all classes were issued
by the Bureau of Pensions, of which 81, 1871 were
original being 50l7 in excess of the highest
number ever before issued in the history of the
bureau.
With such facts and figures in view.
comment is not required-they speak
for themselves. Partisan malignity
may assail them, but they will glow
the brighter by the assault, and will
become more conspicuous. Democrats
may well feel proud of the record.
The truth is always more powerful
than lie. The truth grows in public
favor. This being the case, the Demo-
cratic party has only to keep the truth
before the eOple.-IndianapoHs Senti-